MLB Power Rankings: An Updated Look at Where All 30 Teams Stand
The final weeks of the 2015 MLB season are upon us, and with a number of playoff spots still far from decided, it's shaping up to be an exciting finish once again.
For now, let's take an updated look at how all 30 clubs currently stack up.
When putting together this list, we considered the following factors:
- Last week's record
- Quality of opponent
- Key injuries/trades
- Recent performance beyond the last week
The goal, as always, is to be as objective as possible. But a certain amount of subjectivity will always come into play with something like this.
Just remember: This is a fluid process. Teams will rise and fall on a weekly basis relative to where they ranked previously. If you keep winning, you keep climbing—it's as simple as that.
30. Atlanta Braves (56-88, Previous: 30)
1 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
The youth movement continues for the Atlanta Braves, as guys such as catcher Christian Bethancourt and second baseman Daniel Castro have seen their playing time increase, while right-hander Ryan Weber has joined the rotation.
While they evaluate their talent down the stretch, the losses continue to pile up as they now look like the front-runners to grab the No. 1 pick in next year's draft.
Entering the week, the Braves have lost eight consecutive series and have an unfathomably bad 3-24 record in their last 27 contests so far. Now they have a firm hold on the bottom spot in these rankings.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Andrelton Simmons (12-for-28, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Julio Teheran (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
29. Philadelphia Phillies (56-88, Previous: 29)
2 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
With back-to-back wins to close out their series with the Chicago Cubs, the Philadelphia Phillies are now a respectable 27-26 since the All-Star break.
Aaron Nola turned in another terrific start his last time out, and the 22-year-old rookie is now 6-2 with a 3.56 ERA and 1.137 WHIP in 10 starts to tie for the team lead in victories.
The news wasn't as good for another rookie in middle infielder Cesar Hernandez, as he suffered a dislocated thumb Sunday and may be done for the season. He was hitting .272/.339/.348 and had been seeing the bulk of the at-bats at second base since Chase Utley was traded.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Cesar Hernandez (8-for-25, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Aaron Nola (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
28. Milwaukee Brewers (62-81, Previous: 23)
3 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
Winners of six straight two weeks ago, the Milwaukee Brewers are back to struggling as they picked up series losses against the Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates last week.
Despite their struggles as a team, the Brewers have had some individual standouts.
Ryan Braun (84) and Adam Lind (81) are among the top RBI guys in the NL, Francisco Rodriguez is fifth in the league with 34 saves in 36 chances and Taylor Jungmann has gone 9-6 with a 3.05 ERA in his rookie season.
The team has not lost 90 games since 2004, and they will need to go 11-8 over their final 19 games to avoid doing that here in 2015.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Ryan Braun (11-for-28, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Wily Peralta (ND, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K)
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27. Oakland Athletics (61-82, Previous: 27)
4 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Oakland Athletics snapped a five-game losing streak heading into last week and managed to wrap up their home stand by taking two of three from a Houston Astros team desperately trying to hold off the Texas Rangers.
Sonny Gray was back on his game last time out after going 0-3 with a 4.32 ERA in his previous four starts, and he's still very much in the AL Cy Young conversation at 13-7 with a 2.28 ERA and 1.002 WHIP.
With a solid performance of his own last week, Mark Canha now leads all AL rookies in RBI (63) while adding 19 doubles and 15 home runs as he's been a terrific addition via the Rule 5 draft.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Mark Canha (7-for-26, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Sonny Gray (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K)
26. Colorado Rockies (60-83, Previous: 25)
5 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The Colorado Rockies split their four-game series with the San Diego Padres to begin last week before taking two of three from the Seattle Mariners over the weekend.
With little to play for from a team standpoint, the focus remains on Nolan Arenado (38 HR) and Carlos Gonzalez (37 HR) and their race for the NL home run title. Meanwhile, Arenado currently has a firm grasp on the RBI lead with 110.
Justin Morneau is finally back in the everyday lineup after missing nearly four months, and he'll be looking to rebuild some value ahead of what will likely be the declining of his $9 million option and free agency.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Nolan Arenado (6-for-27, 1 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chad Bettis (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K)
25. Cincinnati Reds (60-82, Previous: 28)
6 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
Squaring off against the National League's two best teams last week, the Cincinnati Reds managed to walk away with a winning record, wrapping things up by taking three of four from the first-place St. Louis Cardinals.
For all that has been made of this year's rookie class, not enough attention has been given to the duo of Anthony DeSclafani (28 GS, 9-10, 3.67 ERA) and Raisel Iglesias (16 GS, 3-7, 4.15 ERA) as their solid debuts will go a long way in helping the team rebuild the rotation.
Currently 1.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers to avoid finishing in the NL Central cellar, those two teams meet for a three-game series in Milwaukee this coming weekend.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Todd Frazier (6-for-25, 1 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Anthony DeSclafani (2 W, 13.1 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 16 K)
24. Miami Marlins (61-82, Previous: 26)
7 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Miami Marlins picked up series wins against the Milwaukee Brewers and Washington Nationals last week, and they are now 8-3 in the month of September.
Jose Fernandez returned from the disabled list Friday, allowing two hits and striking out seven in five scoreless innings, as he'll look to finish the season strong and, more importantly, upright.
Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reported last month that the team's biggest priority this offseason will be extending the middle infield duo of Dee Gordon and Adeiny Hechavarria, and Gordon (.326 BA) will have another bargaining chip in his favor if he can catch Bryce Harper (.333 BA) to win the NL batting title.
Hitter of the Week
- C J.T. Realmuto (6-for-17, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Tom Koehler (W, 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K)
23. Detroit Tigers (65-77, Previous: 24)
8 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
At 6-16 in their last 22 games, the Detroit Tigers are limping to the finish line here in what has been a trying 2015 season to say the least, though they did manage to pick up a series win against the Tampa Bay Rays last week.
Rookies such as Steven Moya, Dixon Machado, Tyler Collins and Drew VerHagen figure to see more and more playing time down the stretch as the team gets set to overhaul the roster this coming winter.
Anibal Sanchez and Daniel Norris will piggyback the team's Wednesday game, with both throwing 45-50 pitches and Sanchez earning the start, according to Chris Iott of MLive.com.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Rajai Davis (7-for-18, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- RP Drew VerHagen (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K)
22. San Diego Padres (67-77, Previous: 21)
9 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
A 3-10 month of September so far is a fitting end to what has been a terribly disappointing season for the San Diego Padres, and they will have a big decision to make regarding the franchise's direction this offseason.
Jedd Gyorko has taken over as the everyday shortstop, and the results from a defensive standpoint have been as expected from the natural third baseman as he's graded out well below-average (-5 DRS, 16.5 UZR/150). Gyorko could get a look there next year, but defense up the middle will be an area of focus after it was undervalued this year.
The breakout pitching prospect had his best start since joining the big league rotation last week, with seven scoreless innings, but he's now sidelined indefinitely with elbow and forearm soreness.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Matt Kemp (7-for-27, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Colin Rea (ND, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K)
21. Chicago White Sox (67-74, Previous: 20)
10 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
With series losses to the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins, the Chicago White Sox are now 26-37 against the rest of the AL Central and in serious risk of slipping into last place before the season is over.
Since the trade deadline, when they opted to hold onto Jeff Samardzija for an outside shot at contending, the team has gone 18-22 and won just three series, though one was a sweep of the Kansas City Royals two weeks ago.
On an individual level, Trayce Thompson continues to prove he's more than just NBA star Klay Thompson's brother, as he's hit .386/.435/.667, with five doubles and three home runs in 25 games. The 24-year-old is making a strong case for a significant role in 2016.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Trayce Thompson (7-for-16, 1 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Carlos Rodon (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
20. Tampa Bay Rays (69-73, Previous: 16)
11 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
As recently as Aug. 22, the Tampa Bay Rays were just 1.5 games back for the second wild-card spot in the American League, but with a 7-12 record since they have slipped to six games back with five teams to pass.
Evan Longoria has quietly put together a solid season, as he leads the team in hits (143), doubles (30), home runs (19), RBI (68) and total bases (230). Getting another run producer to slot alongside him in the middle of the lineup remains the team's most glaring need.
With 236 strikeouts on the year, Chris Archer needs just four more to pass the single-season franchise record Scott Kazmir set back in 2007, so that will be something to watch for when he makes his next start Wednesday.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Evan Longoria (9-for-23, 3 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jake Odorizzi (W, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
19. Arizona Diamondbacks (68-75, Previous: 19)
12 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Arizona Diamondbacks will need to go 14-5 the rest of the way to finish with a winning record, but either way it has been a positive season for a team that checked in at No. 27 on our Opening Day power rankings.
A.J. Pollock has established himself as a bona fide star alongside Paul Goldschmidt, and a number of other young players have proven they are ready to contribute as well.
The Diamondbacks have a 29-31 record against the rest of the NL West this year, and that's a mark they could realistically get over .500 as they're set to take on the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants this week.
Hitter of the Week
- C Jarrod Saltalamacchia (5-for-10, 1 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Robbie Ray (W, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K)
18. Seattle Mariners (69-75, Previous: 17)
13 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
From one of the most surprising teams to perhaps the most disappointing in the American League, the Seattle Mariners have hovered near the middle of the pack in these rankings for the entire season.
Felix Hernandez will have a chance to reach 20 wins for the first time in his career, assuming he gets at least three more starts, as he's currently 17-8 with a 3.49 ERA over 183 innings of work.
Mike Zunino's demotion at the end of August has left the trio of John Hicks, Steve Baron and Jesus Sucre splitting time behind the plate, and it will be interesting to see if any of them makes a case to be the starter heading into 2016.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Kyle Seager (9-for-27, 1 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Felix Hernandez (W, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 8 K)
17. Baltimore Orioles (69-73, Previous: 22)
14 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
Riding a 3-14 cold streak heading into last week, the Baltimore Orioles finally managed to right the ship with series wins against the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals last week.
The odds are still stacked heavily against them, as they were six games back for the second wild-card spot, with five teams to pass, but at least they are trending in the right direction now.
Individually, Chris Davis continued his huge second half with two more home runs last week, as he's now hitting .308/.418/.708, with 23 home runs and 54 RBI in 54 games since the break.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Chris Davis (8-for-17, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Ubaldo Jimenez (W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 K)
16. Boston Red Sox (68-74, Previous: 18)
15 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
They are still in the AL East cellar for the time being, but the Boston Red Sox check in ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles in these rankings, thanks to a 16-8 record in their last 24 games.
David Ortiz joined the 500 home runs club with his second of two home runs off Matt Moore on Saturday, giving him 34 long balls on the year and checking off one more big box on his Hall of Fame resume.
Not to be overshadowed by the Ortiz milestone, left-hander Rich Hill also deserves some attention. The 35-year-old made his first big league appearance of the season and his first start since 2009 on Sunday and threw seven innings of one-hit, 10-strikeout ball to earn the win.
Hitter of the Week
- DH David Ortiz (8-for-18, 3 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Rich Hill (W, 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K)
15. Washington Nationals (72-70, Previous: 11)
16 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
After pulling within four games of the NL East lead heading into last week, the Washington Nationals were dealt a deathblow when the first-place New York Mets swept a three-game series in Washington.
The effects of that sweep seemingly carried over into the following series as the team dropped two of three to the Miami Marlins and scored just six runs in three games.
At 9.5 games back in the division and 10 back for the second wild-card spot, the Nationals playoff hopes have all but evaporated, and when the dust settles on the 2015 season, they will go down as one of the most disappointing teams in recent memory.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Anthony Rendon (9-for-24, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Max Scherzer (W, ND, 14.0 IP, 12 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 12 K)
14. Cleveland Indians (70-71, Previous: 15)
17 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
Don't look now, but the Cleveland Indians are very much in the AL wild-card race at just 4.5 games back for the second spot.
That comes thanks to a 15-7 record in their last 22 games, and they will need to stay hot if they are going to pull off the upset and sneak into the Wild Card Round game.
Rookie shortstop Francisco Lindor's impressive performance has been a big reason for the team's recent run of success, as he's hitting .309/.347/.457 on the year and .351/.390/.529 since the All-Star break. Don't count him out for AL Rookie of the Year honors, despite the fact that he didn't debut until June 14.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Francisco Lindor (7-for-20, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Cody Anderson (W, 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)
13. Los Angeles Angels (72-70, Previous: 13)
18 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Los Angeles Angels are hanging around, and at 7-4 in their last 11 games, they are within 4.5 games of the AL West lead and three games of the second wild-card spot.
The pitching staff has carried them here in September, as their 3.00 team ERA ranks second in the league, and the bullpen in particular has been brilliant top to bottom outside of one rough outing from Huston Street.
The Angels now head on the road for 10 games against the Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros in what will likely be the deciding stretch of their season. They are just 28-39 on the road so far this year.
Hitter of the Week
- DH C.J. Cron (6-for-21, 4 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Garrett Richards (ND, 7.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 11 K)
12. San Francisco Giants (75-68, Previous: 12)
19 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The San Francisco Giants aren't dead just yet after sweeping the San Diego Padres over the weekend, but they're hanging on by a thread.
They are currently 7.5 games back in both the NL West and NL wild-card standings, so with just 19 games to go, a lot will need to break in their favor.
After a strong start on Tuesday night (6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER), Tim Hudson indicated that he plans to retire at the end of the season. The 40-year-old is 221-132 with a 3.49 ERA in 17 big league seasons.
"I feel like it's the right thing to do, the right time for my family," Hudson told reporters (per ESPN.com). "I played this game a lot longer than I thought I would and had a long career. Nights like tonight are very gratifying to go out there in this stage in my career to give my team a chance to win."
Hitter of the Week
- LF Marlon Byrd (10-for-22, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 1 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Madison Bumgarner (W, 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K)
11. Minnesota Twins (74-68, Previous: 14)
20 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
At 15-7 in their last 22 games, the Minnesota Twins have pulled within one game of the Texas Rangers for the second AL wild-card spot.
With their next 10 games at home, where they are an impressive 42-26 on the year, there's a very real chance this Twins team could be suiting up in the Wild Card Round.
The question is, who would start that game on the mound for the Twins?
Kyle Gibson is probably the team's best pitcher, but veterans Mike Pelfrey and Phil Hughes could be options as well. First things first, thought, they'll have to finish strong and pass the Texas Rangers for that to matter.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Torii Hunter (7-for-21, 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Kyle Gibson (W, L, 15.2 IP, 11 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 11 K)
10. Houston Astros (77-66, Previous: 9)
21 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
The Houston Astros dropped series to the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels last week, and in the process saw their division lead shrink to just 1.5 games over the hard-charging Texas Rangers.
Those two teams play each other seven more times this year, including a big four-game series in Texas to kick off this coming week. The Rangers lead the season series 8-4 at this point, so the Astros will need to reverse their fortunes if they are going to hold them off.
Getting Carlos Gomez going at the plate would certainly help matters, as he's coming off his best week in an Astros uniform and will look to stay hot.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Carlos Gomez (6-for-20, 3 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Dallas Keuchel (L, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
9. New York Yankees (78-64, Previous: 7)
22 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
After dropping a three-game series to the Baltimore Orioles, the New York Yankees squandered their chance to close the gap in the AL East standings by dropping three of four to the first place Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend.
The team will be without first baseman Mark Teixeira the rest of the way, as what was originally "diagnosed as a bone bruise" back on Aug. 17 turned out to be a fractured shin that "will take at least three months to heal," according to Billy Witz of the New York Times.
That means significant playing time for rookie Greg Bird down the stretch, while Dustin Ackley is also in the mix after starting at first Saturday and Sunday.
The team will also need to decide on a starter for Tuesday, as Nathan Eovaldi will miss his turn in the rotation with elbow soreness. Adam Warren looks like the likely candidate.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Brett Gardner (6-for-17, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Masahiro Tanaka (W, ND, 15.0 IP, 10 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 17 K)
8. Texas Rangers (75-67, Previous: 10)
23 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
A four-game split with the Seattle Mariners and a series win over the Oakland Athletics was enough for the Texas Rangers to make up some ground in the AL West standings, but they lost a half-game to the Minnesota Twins who now trail by just one game for the second wild card.
The addition of Cole Hamels and a healthy Derek Holland has helped spark the pitching staff, but Colby Lewis showed he deserves some attention as well when he took a perfect game into the eighth inning and finished with a two-hit shutout. He's now 15-8, with a 4.45 ERA on the season.
It will be Hamels, Martin Perez, Holland and Lewis taking the hill during the team's big four-game series with the Houston Astros that begins Monday.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Shin-Soo Choo (9-for-25, 1 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Colby Lewis (W, 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
7. Kansas City Royals (84-58, Previous: 5)
24 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
No team in baseball has a bigger cushion than the Kansas City Royals, who still lead the AL Central by 10 games, despite a pair of series losses last week, so barring an absolute meltdown, they should be able to coast into the playoffs.
However, there's something to be said for momentum, something the team had a lot of last year when it was chasing a wild-card spot up until the final day of the season.
At 4-9 in their last 13 games, they are not playing great baseball right now, and the inconsistency of their starting rotation remains a major concern. That includes ace Johnny Cueto, who is 0-5 with a 9.57 ERA in his last five starts.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Lorenzo Cain (7-for-23, 1 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Edinson Volquez (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K)
6. Chicago Cubs (82-60, Previous: 6)
25 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
At 35-20 since the All-Star break and 8-4 here in September, the Chicago Cubs are playing as good of baseball as any team in the league heading down the home stretch.
With a 7.5-game lead over the San Francisco Giants for the second wild card, they are essentially a lock to make the playoffs, and right now they have their sights set on catching the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have a four-game lead for the right to host the Wild Card Round.
There are some legitimate concerns about the bullpen and the lack of a consistent No. 3 starter, but with Jake Arrieta on the hill, they will be a tough draw in a winner-take-all game, and anything can happen from there.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Chris Coghlan (10-for-25, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jake Arrieta (W, 8.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K)
5. New York Mets (82-61, Previous: 8)
26 of 30
Last Week: 7-0
In 40 games with the New York Mets, Yoenis Cespedes has hit .308/.353/.680, with 10 doubles, 16 home runs and 41 RBI, and in the process he's completely changed the team's outlook.
The offense has gone from a serious area of concern to a bona fide strength as it's averaging 6.23 runs per game since Aug. 1 and has gone 29-11 in the process.
Their three-game sweep of the Washington Nationals last week all but sealed their first NL East title since 2006, and they're currently a half-game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for the right to host a potential Game 5 in the Division Series.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Yoenis Cespedes (10-for-29, 4 2B, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Noah Syndergaard (ND, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
4. Toronto Blue Jays (82-61, Previous: 3)
27 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
After a series loss to the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays bounced back in a big way to take three of four from the New York Yankees and cement themselves as the top team in the AL East.
Marcus Stroman made his season debut Saturday, allowing four hits and three runs over five innings before a rain delay effectively ended his outing.
Stroman picked up the win, but in the same game, the team lost Troy Tulowitzki when he collided with outfielder Kevin Pillar.
According to Steven Marcus of Newsday, he suffered "upper-back bruises and a small crack in his left shoulder blade" and is sidelined indefinitely at this point.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Jose Bautista (9-for-27, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP David Price (W, 5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K)
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (82-60, Previous: 4)
28 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
At 15-4 in their last 19 games, the Los Angeles Dodgers have taken complete command of the NL West and are rolling heading into the final weeks of the season.
Since the All-Star break, Zack Greinke has gone 9-1 with a 1.98 ERA in 11 starts, and that's not even close to good enough to make him the best pitcher on his own team in the second half. During that same span, Clayton Kershaw is 7-0, with a 1.04 ERA in 10 starts.
The question marks for the Dodgers come anytime the ball is not in the hands of one of those two, as the bullpen ranks 22nd in the league, with a 4.05 ERA, and the back of the rotation is a mess.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Justin Ruggiano (6-for-14, 3 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Zack Greinke (2 W, 14.0 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 13 K)
2. St. Louis Cardinals (89-54, Previous: 1)
29 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
For the first time in months, we have a new No. 1 team in our weekly MLB power rankings.
The St. Louis Cardinals still have the best record in baseball, but at just 3-8 in their last 11 games, and as losers of three straight series, they are dealing with their worst rough patch of the season.
They're in no real danger of missing the playoffs, as they could lose the rest of their games and the San Francisco Giants would still need to go 15-4 to overtake them for a wild-card spot, but you want to enter the playoffs with some momentum nonetheless.
With Matt Adams and Matt Belisle back healthy and Randal Grichuk on the mend, their overall depth should allow them to keep guys fresh over the final few weeks.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Jason Heyward (10-for-24, 3 2B, 3 RBI, 1 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP John Lackey (ND, 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K)
1. Pittsburgh Pirates (86-56, Previous: 2)
30 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
A strong case can be made for the Pittsburgh Pirates being the best team in baseball since just before the All-Star break when they took three of four from the St. Louis Cardinals, and now after another strong week, they finally move into the No. 1 spot in these rankings.
The Pirates would love nothing more than to pass the Cardinals in the NL Central standings and avoid playing in the Wild Card Round for the third consecutive season, and the gap has been closed to 2.5 games heading into the week.
A tough week awaits, as the Chicago Cubs come to town for a four-game series before the team heads to Los Angeles for three against a red-hot Los Angeles Dodgers team.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Jung-ho Kang (9-for-27, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP J.A. Happ (W, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 10 K)
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. Hitter and pitcher of the week stats refer to games played between Monday, Sept. 7 and Sunday, Sept. 13.
.jpg?w=480 "Twins Royals Baseball")
